Ireland’s population growth has experienced significant fluctuations over the past two centuries. In the early 19th century, Ireland’s population exceeded 8 million, but the Great Famine of the 1840s triggered a dramatic decline due to death and mass emigration. The population continued to fall or stagnate throughout much of the 19th and early 20th centuries, reaching a low point of around 2.8 million in the 1960s. However, from the late 20th century onwards, Ireland has seen a steady resurgence in population, fueled by economic growth, higher birth rates, and increased immigration, particularly during the Celtic Tiger era. As of 2023, the population of the Republic of Ireland is estimated to be over 5.1 million, marking the highest level since the 1850s and reflecting a period of robust demographic recovery and growth.
| Year | Population | Population Density Per Square KM |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2,963,018 | 43 |
| 1955 | 2,916,133 | 42.3 |
| 1960 | 2,832,000 | 41.1 |
| 1965 | 2,876,000 | 41.8 |
| 1970 | 2,950,100 | 42.8 |
| 1975 | 3,177,300 | 46.1 |
| 1980 | 3,401,000 | 49.4 |
| 1985 | 3,540,000 | 51.4 |
| 1990 | 3,508,200 | 50.9 |
| 1995 | 3,613,890 | 52.5 |
| 2000 | 3,822,196 | 55.5 |
| 2005 | 4,199,185 | 61 |
| 2010 | 4,622,824 | 67.1 |
| 2015 | 4,891,224 | 71 |
| 2020 | 5,173,463 | 75.1 |
| 2022 | 5,275,004 | 76.6 |
| 2023 | 5,323,991 | 77.3 |
| 2024 | 5,372,012 | 78 |
| 2025 | 5,419,212 | 78.7 |
| 2030 | 5,648,610 | 82 |
| 2035 | 5,875,210 | 85.3 |
| 2040 | 6,097,670 | 88.5 |
| 2045 | 6,303,876 | 91.5 |
| 2050 | 6,478,153 | 94 |
| 2055 | 6,619,197 | 96.1 |
| 2060 | 6,736,100 | 97.8 |
| 2065 | 6,836,522 | 99.2 |
| 2070 | 6,925,763 | 100.5 |
| 2075 | 7,006,359 | 101.7 |
| 2080 | 7,080,760 | 102.8 |
| 2085 | 7,151,210 | 103.8 |
| 2090 | 7,217,893 | 104.8 |
| 2095 | 7,275,482 | 105.6 |
| 2100 | 7,318,481 | 106.2 |
Data from US Census International Database